The Michigan basketball program has gone through a lot in the last week, with the NBA Draft, seeing multiple players selected in the first round, but most of all, head coach Dusty May leaving. May shocked the college basketball world, and honestly, the NBA world, by taking the head coach job with the Dallas Mavericks just one day before the draft.
With May out the door, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel was left scrambling with the coaching pool extremely shallow. There was also the problem of trying to keep the roster, one that May spent a lot of time building this offseason, together after May's departure.
Warde made quick work of elevating assistant coach Mike Boynton to interim head coach, which was probably the best choice when it came to keeping the roster intact. However, now he is moving a little too fast with the thought of removing the 'interim' tag for Boynton.
Warde needs to be fired immediately. You simply cannot do this. https://t.co/fiyouvpArY
— Not Sure Enthusiast (@Gobluety1) June 28, 2026
Mike Boynton has some proving to do at Michigan before removing the 'interim' tag
Boynton has been the interim head coach at Michigan for about a week now, so why are we already talking about removing the 'interim' tag? Well, it would be another questionable decision made by the Michigan athletic director, especially after what happened with former football coach Sherrone Moore.
It has been reported by The Athletic college basketball writer CJ Moore that Boynton has been interviewing with the Michigan administration this past week and is hoping the 'interim' tag will be removed from his title.
While making Boynton the interim head coach was a smart move for Manuel, removing that tag so soon would be so reckless. Boynton spent two years at Michigan with Dusty May, being one of the first assistant coaches he hired when he made the move from FAU. This came after Boynton spent seven years as the head coach for Oklahoma State, making the NCAA Tournament just once.
Boynton probably learned a lot in two seasons under May, but he still has a lot of proving to do before that 'interim' tag is removed. This is a Michigan team that is coming off a National Championship win with two key players returning, a great recruiting class coming in, and some solid transfers coming to Ann Arbor.
If Boynton comes in next season and leads the Wolverines to an NCAA Tournament appearance with a deep run, then sure, he can have that 'interim' tag removed. Boynton has been named as one of the best recruiters for Michigan in the last two seasons, so he will also be tasked with building a recruiting class in this role.
Michigan has what it takes to go on another run this season with this roster, but now it is a question as to whether it was May or not that led this team's success.
This hasty move could turn what looked like a dynasty basketball program for Michigan into what it was just a few years ago, pre-Dusty May. Let Boynton work without the pressure of no 'interim' tag for a season and see what happens. Removing that tag this soon could prove to be another questionable decision by Manuel.
Add us as a preferred source on Google